Chilled tomato soup is garnished with bacon crumbles, blue cheese and homemade croutons. The recipe saves time by using quality packaged soup like that sold at Raley's and Scolari's.

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In the past few years, supermarket chains have introduced an increasing number of high quality packaged and prepared foods. Packaged soups, like those found at Raley’s and Scolari’s, rank among the best.

This week on “Make It Easy,” Jennifer Bushman takes a packaged tomato soup, chills it and garnishes it with homemade croutons, bacon and blue cheese crumbles. We think you’ll love this easy, flavorful way to salute the end of summer.

Serve the soup as a dinner starter or with crusty bread at lunch. And don’t forget a chablis, a sauvignon blanc or other racy white wine.

Place bacon in single layer in medium sauté pan and slowly cook over medium-low heat until almost crisp, about 8 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds; reserve.

Drain bacon fat into another large sauté pan, add olive oil to bacon fat and cook over medium heat. Add cubed bread and sauté until golden.

Sprinkle bread cubes with salt and pepper, place on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp. Just before serving, add crumbled blue cheese and herbs to reserved cooked bacon and toss to combine.